Arlington National Cemetery Urns

Derrick Ward reports on the controversy of two urns, originally installed at the the amphitheater at the National Cemetery, that are up for auction. (Published Sunday, Jan 23, 2011)

The urns, designed by the same architectural firm that did such prominent Washington buildings as the Russell Senate Office Building and the Cannon House office building, were installed when the Memorial Amphitheater was built between 1915 and 1920 but were replaced during a 1990s renovation.

After several changes of possession, the urns ended up in an Eastern Shore antiques shop owned by Savage, who is selling off his inventory.

The Army asked that the auction be postponed for 30 days, but Savage decided not to auction the urns after all.

"Ever since I purchased these beautiful pieces of art, I have hoped that they would some day be recognized for their cultural, historical and emotional significance," Savage said. "I'm very happy the Army and Arlington Cemetery have expressed a desire to recover and display them at the cemetery museum for the whole country to enjoy and admire. It is my hope that this situation will bring more attention to the need to protect our country’s architectural legacy and heritage."

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